Catamenial appliance



Jan. 14, 1930. E. sPARDEL CATAMENIAL APPLIANCE Filed April 5, 1928 Patented Jan. 14, 1930 OFFICE EMIL SPARDEL, F HAMBURG, GERMANY CA'EAMENIAL APPLTANCE Application filed April 5, 1928, Serial No.

This invention relates to catamenial appliances of the kind comprising a pouch or receptacle and a tubular stem connected therewith terminating at its upper end in a funnel-shaped mouthpiece. The principal improvement according to this invention, in appliances of the said type consists in form ing the funnel-shaped mouthpiece suficiently pliable to enable it to turn outwardly and backwardly over the stem under the pressure exerted during the placing ofthe appliance in operative position, Vand sufficiently resilient to enable it to resume its normal shape and support the appliance by engagement with the vagina walls, when the pressure is released. A self-supporting appliance is thus provided, having the advantage that it can be inserted into its operative position, and be retained therein by its own'resilience, witho out harm or discomfort. Further features of improvement, which include the provision of annular ribs on the mouthpiece; the provision of an abutment flange on the stem beneath the mouthpiece, and adjustable and detachable connections between the stem and receptacle, `will be apparent from the description which follows.

In the accompanying drawing is shown one way of carrying into practice the invention.-

Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of the improved catamenial appliance in its position of use.

l Fig. 2 is a. plan view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation seen from the left or right of Fig. 1, the funnel-shaped mouth portion of the appliance being in 'the position which it assumes on insertion into the vagina.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified arrangement.

A funnel shaped mouth piece a rises from the top edge of a central tubular stem b, which carries the receiver for the menstrual discharge.

The mouth piece a is made of flexible soft india rubber having an external diameter adapted to rest it upon the walls of the vagina and thereby to support the appliance in position. `f The external surface of the mouth piece a 267,725, and in Germany April 11, 1927.

is provided with annular ribs a1 at the top end, to prevent collapsing of the mouth piece. Another purpose of these annular ribs a1 is to enable the external diameter of the mouth piece a to be fitted to the size of the vagina 86 by tearing or cutting off one or more ribs a1 from the top end which reduces the mouth piece to the diameter required.

The wall of the mouth piece a from the central tubular stem b upward is gradually di- 00 minished in thickness as indicated by the reference letter a2 in Fig. l, in order to facilitate turning up or reversing of the mouth piece when same is pushed into the vagina. Fig.

3 shows the mouth piece a in the turned up or 65 reversed position which it assumes on insertion into the vagina. When the mouth piece a is suficiently pushed in, the pressure exerted against the stem b is released, so that the elasticity of the turned up or reversed mouth piece returns the\latter to its original funnel shape and closes it tightly against the, walls of the vagina without discomforting the wearer.

Turning up or reversing of the mouth piece a is limited by a flange or ring b1 von the central tubular stem b, this flange or ring safeguarding the return of the turned up or reversed mouth piece to its original funnel shape on`the release of the stem b. In the 30 drawing the flangev or ring b1 is shown integral with'the stem b, it may however be produced separately and attached to the stem so as to retain its position by tension and friction and so as to render it adjustable according to requirement.

The central tubular stem b as well as the flange or ring b1 are preferably made of india rubber of a uality which is not soft enough to suffer a isfiguration or collapse in the 9 proper use of the appliance.

Below the flange or ring b1 the central tubular stem b serves for the attachment of the receiver for the menstrual discharge.V

According to Figs. 1 to 3 this receiver con- 95 sists of a shallow cup c., which has detachably secured to its marginal edge c1 a pouch or sack.k d. While the shallow cup c is of comparatively rigid structure, the pouch or sack d is ma'de of any desired light, flexible and 1 waterproof material. It is advantageous to produce both the shallow'cup o and the pouch or sack d of india rubber of the required quality.

The detachable connection between the shallow cup c and the soft pouch or sack d is obtained by a marginal rim alil of the latter, which on stretching fits over the marginal edge c1 and retains its hold under the elastic tension caused in stretching.

' The shallow cup c is of extended elliptical shape so as to be comfortably worn between the legs close to the vagina.

Attachment between the -central tubular stem b and the shallow cup e is eil'ecte'd excentrically in regard to the latter at one end thereof, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. In using the appliance, the shallow cup c with its pouch or sack d is situated between the legs so as to have the longer end of the cup pointing towards the front. This is advantageous, as it enables the wearer to assume any attitude and to sit down without being discomforted by the appliance, the stem b terminating at thenbottom face of the cup c and forming therefore no obstruction in sitting down or reclining ,on a seat.

It having been ascertained, that the proper use of the appliance without harmful or discomforting pressure requires the shallow cup c to be located close to the vagina, the distance between the mouth piece a and the cup c must be chosen to it the circumstances.

To enable this distance to be varied as desired or required an adiustable connection between the central tubular stem b and the shallow cup c is provided. The cup c has an uprising bushing c2 encircling the hole for accommodating the stem b. Corrugations b2 at the lower end of the stem b and inside the bushing o* secure the connection by virtue of the resilient nature of the material employed in the production of the stem and bushing. If on adjusting the distance between the mouth piece a and the cup c the stem b protrudes through the latter at the underside thereof, the protruding end of the stem may be cut oil' close to the cup previous to attaching the pouch or sack d to the latter.

At both sides of the bushing c2 the cup c has one or more holes c", c* leading into the space enclosed by the pouch or sack d. This space is to be filled with absorbent material of an suitable kind.

en all parts are adjusted and assembled as described, the appliance can be pushed into the vagina as far as possible, to put it in p osition for use. In pushing in, the mouth plece l a is turned up or reversed as shown in Fig. 3./

On .liberating the appliance, the mouth piece a re ains its funnel shape and maintains itsel inside the vagina, causing the menstrual discharge to reach the receiver at the lower end of the central tubular stem b. The discharge passes through the funnel shaped mouthpiece a, reaching the pouch or sack d' by way of the central tubular stem b.

Secretions that pass outside the mouth piece a reach the cup c along the stem b and flow through the. holes c3, c* into the pouch or sack d. In both cases the secretions are absorbed by the renewable filling in the pouch or sack d. A

After use the applianceis taken to pieces and perfectly cleaned in all its parts. On insertion of a fresh absorbent filling the appliance is ready for another use.

Fig. 4 shows a modified construction of the appliance vfor receiving the menstrual discharge. Instead of the shallow cup c and pouch.or sack al detachably connected thereto as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, a soft rubber bag e, such as a French letter, is attached to the central tubular stem b in any convenient manner either directly or by stretching it over the flange or ring b1 and securing it in its required position. The bag e which receives the discharge by way of the mouth piece a and the central tubular stem b, may have a renewable lling of suitable absorbent material. Such an appliance can be worn without any inconvenience to or strain upon the wearer, it being retained in position for use by the mouth piece a gaining a hold inside the vagina around the uterus.

The appliance may also be employed as a pessary in which case a suitable medicament, as ointment or cotton saturated with a proper medicinal agent is confined in the mouth piece a enveloping the uterus to act remedially.

I wish it to be distinctly understood, that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions shown,variations in the arrangement and combination of the several parts being possible according to desire or requirement without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure lby Letters Patent is:

1. A catamenial appliance comprising in combination a pouch, a tubular stern connected with the pouch, and a pliableresilient funnel-shaped mouthpiece formed at the up r end of said stem adapted to turn outwardly and downwardly over the stem under the pressure exerted by the placing of the appliance in operative position and to resume its normal shapel and support the appliance by engagement with the vagina walls when the pressure is released.

2. A catamenial appliance comprising in combination a pouch, a tubular stem connected with the pouch, a liable resilient funnel-shaped mouthpiece ormed at .the up er end of said stem adapted to turn outwar y and downwardly overthe stem under the pressure exerted by the placin of the applithereover during the pressure is released, and annular ribs on the egternal surface at the top of said mouthpiece.

3. A catamenial appliance comprising in combination a pouch, a tubular stem connectedwith the pouch, a pliable resilient funnelshaped mouthpiece formed at the upper end of said stem adapted to turn outwardly and downwardly over the stem under the ressure exerted by the placing of the appliance in operative position and to resume its normal shape and support the appliance by engagement with the vagina walls when the pressure is released, and annular ribs on the external surface at the top of said mouthpiece, the wall of the mouth iece being of a thickness which gradually inishes from the junction of the mouthpiece with the stem, towards the annular ribs.

4. A catamenial appliance comprising in combination a pouch, a tubular stem connected with the pouch, a pliable resilient funnelshaped mouthpiece formed-at the uper end of said stein adapted to turn outwar y and downwardl over the stem under the ressure exerte by the placing of the appliance in operative position and to resume its normal shape and su port the appliance by engagement with t e vagina walls when the pressure is released and an annular'lange on the stem servin as an abutment for the downwardly turne mouthpiece.`

5. A catamenial appliance comprising in combination a shallow cup-shaped base, a

tubular stem adjustably connected with said base, a pliable, resilient, funnel-shaped mouthpiece at the upper end of said stem l adapted to turn outwardly and downwardly placing of the appliance inno erative position and to resume its normal s ape and support the a pliance by engagement with the vagina wa when the ressure'is released, and a soft pouch or sack etachably secured to the marginal edge of the cup-shaped base.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 23rd day of March 1928.

EMIL SPARDEL. 

